Tag Archives: Margaret McNamara

At the 27th Annual KSU Conference on Literature for Children and Young Adults where the theme was Reimagining the Role of Children’s and Young Adult Literature, I presented the following 50-minute session on Tuesday, March 20, 2018.

Mathematizing Read Alouds

How might we deepen our understanding of numeracy using children’s literature? What if we mathematize our read-aloud books to use them in math as well as literacy? We invite you to notice and note, listen and learn, and learn by doing while we share ways to deepen understanding of numeracy and literacy.

Let’s debunk the myth that mathematicians do all work in their heads. Mathematicians notice, wonder, note, identify patterns, ask questions, revise thinking, and share ideas. Mathematicians show their thinking with details so that a reader understands without having to ask questions.

What if we pause during read-alouds to give learners a chance to analyze text features, to notice and wonder, to ask and answer questions in context?

How might we inspire and teach learners to make their thinking visible so that a reader understands?

What if we mathematize our read-aloud books to use them in math as well as reading and writing workshop? Could it be that we gain minutes of reading if we use children’s literature to offer context for the mathematics we are learning? Could we add minutes of math if we pause and ask mathematical questions during our literacy block?

Becky Holden and I planned the following professional learning session to build common understanding and language as we expand our knowledge of teaching numeracy through literature. Every Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, and 3rd Grade math teacher participated in 3.5-hours of professional learning over the course of two days.

I can work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication.

I can skip-count by 2s, 5, 10s, and 100s within 1000 to strengthen my understanding of place value.

3rd Grade

I can represent and solve problems involving multiplication and division.

I can use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic.

Learning Progressions:

I can apply mathematical flexibility.#ShowYourWork Algebra

Here’s what it looked like:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here’s some of what the teacher-learners said:

I learned to look at books with a new critical eye for both literacy and mathematical lessons. I learned that I can read the same book more than once to delve deeper into different skills. This is what we are learning in Workshop as well. Using a mentor text for different skills is such a great way to integrate learning.

I learned how to better integrate math with other subjects as well as push pass the on answer and look for more than one way to answer the question as well as show in more than one way how I got that answer and to take that to the classroom for my students.

I learned how to integrate literacy practice and math practice at once. In addition, I also learned how to deepen learning and ask higher thinking questions, as well as how to let students answer their own questions and have productive struggle.

I learned that there are many different ways to notice mathematical concepts throughout books. It took a second read through for me to see the richness in the math concepts that could be taught.

I learned that there are many children’s literature that writes about multiple mathematical skills and in a very interesting way!

How might we notice and note opportunities to pause, wonder, and question? What is to be gained by blending learning?